Heddle frames



INVENTOR FREDERlCK M. SUCHKE United States Patent 1 2,808,073 HEDDLE. FRAMES Frederick Max Suchke, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to Pioneer Heddle and Reed Company, Incorporated, Atlanta, Ga.,

a corporation of Georgia Application February 4, 1955, Serial No. 486,130 7 Claims. (Cl. 139-92) The present invention relates to harness frames carrying a plurality of removable metallic heddle bars and heddles.

An object of the present invention is the production of a harness or heddle frame of such character as will resist or meet adequately the problems encountered in long and continuous use and at the same time being sufliciently light in weight thereby facilitating its rapid reciprocation in the loom.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel type of end pieces or sections of the frame thereby increasing the strength of the frame and the connections thereof and providing also adequate support of the heddle bars carrying the heddles in the end sections of the frame.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means permitting rapid insertion and removal of the hedd'le bars in the end sections with cooperating means for locking the heddle bars in their operative positions and unlocking the same for disengagement or removal from the frame.

It is a notorious fact that loom workmen or attendants frequently lose or misplace loom parts including heddle frame parts when parts are not interconnected or permanently attached to associated mechanisms during adjustment or repair to the loom and frequently misplace or lose special tools required for such adjustment and repair. Thus delays are encountered which cause losses in production. Having the foregoing in mind, it is a further object of the invention to provide adequate locking and unlocking means for heddle bars which are permanently attached to the harness frame, thus preventing loss, and exposed for easy actuation, without the use of special tools, by the finger of the operator or any ordinary tool having an end similar to that of a screw driver or pair of pliers. Similarly a punch, nail, screw or even a sliver of wood can be used.

To the ends above stated the usual upper end and lower frame members, preferably of wood, are connected at their opposite ends with end pieces or sections fashioned from metal, each end section or piece consisting of a plurality of strips. of flat metal of adequate strength riveted or otherwise fastened together for face to face contact for a substantial portion of their length. These fiat metal strips or bars are separated or spaced apart adjacent the ends of the frame members and heddle bars and provide room for the pivotal mounting of a spring clip or latch between the spaced metal strips. The arrangement of the parts is such that when the heddle bars are inserted in recesses provided for them in each of the metal strips the spring clips are forced home thereby locking the heddle bars in the end pieces. The free end of the clips are shaped so that specially designed tools are not required for its latching and unlatching, but may readily be engaged with the finger or any convenient tool and sprung outwardly of the frame thus releasing and exposing the heddle bars for ready removal of them and/ or the heddles. The spring clips are so fashioned and mounted that when they are snapped home in locking position they lie within the plane of the heddle frame, thus protecting them from interference with other mechanisms or unduly catching lint during the operation of the loom.

Referring now to the drawings in which corresponding parts are identified by corresponding marks of reference- Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a heddle frame embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of one corner of the heddle frame showing the retaining clip or latch in raised position exposing the heddle bar for removal from the end pieces.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end view of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary end view of a duplex heddle frame illustrating the relative position of the retaining clips or latches and their accessibility.

Referring now to Fig. l, the heddle frame embodies upper and lower frame members 1 and 2, respectively, preferably fashioned from wood of suitable length, width and thickness. Opposite ends of the frame members 1 and 2 are each connected to metallic end pieces or sections generally designated 3 and 4.

Each end section includes outer and inner metallic strips or bars 5 and 6, respectively, preferably of the same width and thickness. Since the end sections are identical in structure only one need be described. The outer metallic strip 5 extends in a single plane for substantially the height of the frame with its upper and lower ends bent at right angles and screwed to the top and bottom edges of the frame members 1 and 2, re-

spectively. The inner metallic strip 6 is in abutting relation or in face to face contact with the strip 5 throughout its intermediate portion and the strips 5 and 6 are so held by rivets 7, spot welds or other suitable means.

Above and below the contacting portions of the strips 5 and 6, the latter are turned inward-1y of the frame as at 8 providing spaces or openings 10 and thence extends parallel to the strips 5 to the frame members 1 and 2 where they are turned inwardly at right angles and screwed to the bottom and top of the respective frame members. The spacing of the strips with the interposition of the lug hereinafter described serves to promote rigidity in the end pieces and the frame as a whole without materially increasing the weight over the two strip continuous contact end pieces commonly employed in the art.

Metallic heddle bars 11 carry metallic heddles 12 in the usual and accepted manner. Terminal portions of the heddle bars 11 are loosely seated in a recess or notch 13 formed in one edge of each of the metallic strips and spaced inwardly of the frame members'as shown in the drawings. The base or bottom 14 of the notches are by preference parallel to the edges of the end pieces as shown in Fig. 3. The distance between the grooves 13 formed in each inner strip 6 should be such as to space the heddle bars with allowances sufficient to permit the heddles 12 to slide freely along the bars 11. Each end of the heddle bars terminates within the space or opening 10 between the strips 5 and 6 just short of the inner face of the outer strip 5 as shown in Fig. 2. This provides for the easy removal of the heddle bars.

Clips 15 fashioned from suitable spring steel are pivoted in the end pieces 3 and 4 adjacent the ends of the heddle bars for the purpose of locking and unlocking the heddle bars in the frame. To this end each clip has a substantially flat body portion 16 with one end formed into a barrel 17., The opposite end of the clip is bent laterally and reversely in S-shape first to form a locking part or detent 18 and then to form an outwardly inclined releasing tip 20 readily reached by the finger or ordinary tool.

The barrel end 17 of the clip is mounted for oscillation freely in the space or opening 10 between the spaced strips 5 and 6 about the pin 21 located to one side of the 1 end of the heddle bar 11. The ends of the pin 21 are riveted or otherwise suitably fastened as at 22 to at least one of the strips 5 or 6 and preferably both.

A lug 23 is located adjacent the inner edge of the Patented .Oct. 1, 1957.

heddle bar and in the opening between the strips 5 and 6. The upper edge 24 of the lug 23 (Fig. 2) may be aligned with the lower edgerof the heddle bar 11 and thus provide additional support therefor.

The edge 25 of the lug 23 is convex in cross-section to cause the concaved portion 18 of the clip to ride over and then snap into engagement with the lug 23. The length of the clip 15 should be such as to assure this action. The lug 23 serves as an abutment for maintaining the accurate spacing of the strips 5 and 6 and adds rigidity to the strips forming the end pieces in the zone where the strips are spaced apart. The lug 23 is fixed against turning between the strips 5 and 6 and this may be accomplished by providing tenons 23a at the ends of the abutment fitting tightly into corresponding mortises in the strips 5 and 6.

In completing the erection of the harness, a plurality of heddles is mounted upon the heddle bars 11 and the ends of these bars are inserted in the recesses 13 formed in the strips 6, assuming the clips are in open or raised position as shown in Fig. 3. The clips are then pressed home, the concaved portion 18 of the clips snapping over the convex parts 23a .of the lugs 23 thus holding the latches in closed position with the flat body portion 16 of the latch bearing against the contiguous part of the heddle bar.

The accessibility of and the facility with which the latching mechanism can be adapted to duplex heddle frames is illustrated in Fig. 4. Here it will be observed that the tip or lower end of the clips can be easily reached and opened outwardly of each frame.

In Fig. 1 the heddles there shown are provided with eyes of the open type for insertion on the heddle bars. The metal on one side of the heddles at the eye is removed to provide the space or opening 120. This opening allows the heddles to slide along th heddle bars throughout their length and past a spacer 26 which offsets the leg of the bracket 27 from the heddle bar, thereby permitting the heddles to slide past the bracket. The arrangement just described is well known in the art. When frames of substantial length are employed one or more adjustable brackets 27 are employed to furnish intermediate support for the heddle bars.

When it is desired to remove the heddles 12 from the rame, it is not necessary to remove the heddle bars 11 with them unless occasion so requires. To remove the heddles alone all that is necessary is to release or unlock upper and lower latches 15, say on the right side of Fig. l, flex the heddle bars out of the recesses 14 sufiicient to clear the legs 6 and 5 and the heddles and then slide the heddles to the right and off the heddle bars. One or more new heddles may be inserted on the heddle bars when the right ends of the bars are so released.

What is claimed is:

1. In a heddle frame, the combination of upper and lower frame members, end sections connected to said frame members adjacent the ends thereof, each section including outer and inner metallic strips having their intermediate portion secured together in face to face contact for a substantial portion of their length, said outer strips extending in a single plane between said frame members, said inner strips beyond their zone of contact with the outer strips being turned inwardly and away from the outer strips thereby providing an opening between said strips and provided with recesses adjacent said openings, the terminal portions of said outer and inner strips being bent at right angles and fastened to the opposite edges of said frame members, heddle bars located in said recesses and terminating in said openings short of said outer strips, lugs fixed between said outer and inner strips and clips pivotally mounted in said openingsand engageable with said lugs for holding said heddle bars in said recesses.

2. In a heddle frame, the combination of upper and strips extending in a single plane between said frame members and having their opposite ends turned at right angles and fastened to the outer edges of said frame members, said inner strips beyond their zone of contact with the outer strips being turned inwardly and away from the outer strips thereby providing an opening between said strips, and provided with recesses adjacent said. openings, the terminal portions of said outer and inner strips being bent at right angles and fastened to the opposite edges of said frame members, heddle bars located in said recesses and terminating in said openings short of said outer strips, lugs fixed between aid outer and inner strips and in abutting contact therewith thereby maintaining parallelism of said strips and adding rigidity thereto and clips pivotally mounted for closing movement into said openings for holding said heddle bars in said recesses and engageable with said lugs for holding said clips in closed position.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 characterized by a location of the clips within the plane of the heddle frame when in closed position.

4. In a heddle frame, the combination of upper and lower frame members, and sections connected to the outer edges of said frame members at the ends thereof, each section including outer and inner metallic strips having their intermediate portion secured together in face to face contact for a substantial part of their length, the outer strips extending in a single plane and having their opposite ends turned at right angles and fastened to said frame members, said inner strips beyond their zone of contact with the outer strips being turned inwardly and away from the outer strips providing an opening between said strips, and provided with recesses adjacent said openings, the terminal portions of said outer and inner strips being bent at right angles and fastened to the opposite edges of said frame members, heddle bars located in said recesses and terminating in said openings and short of said outer strips, lugs fixed between said outer and inner strips and in abutting contact therewith thereby maintaining parallelism of said strips and adding rigidity thereto, said lugs having convex inner edges, pins supported in said openings by at least one of said strips and adjacent said heddle bars, spring clips having one end pivotally mounted on said pins movable into and out of said openings and the opposite end shaped to define a latching portion engageable with the convex edge of said lugs, said clips when engaging said lugs serving to hold said heddle bars in said recesses.

5. The invention defined in claim 4 characterized by the provision of a tip beyond the latching portion of the clip for releasing the clip from the lug.

6. The invention defined in claim 4 characterized by reversely bending one end of said clips thereby providing a latch at one bend engageable with said lug and a tip extending from the said bend for releasing the clip from the lug.

7. The invention defined in claim 4 characterized by locating the outer edges of the lugs in alignment with the inner edges of the heddle bars thereby providing additional support for the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,556,468 Consoletti June 12, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 57,917 France May 6, 1953 (1st addition to No. 958,060) 

